


Starting to Understand

by Moriel



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Implied Relationships, M/M, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 06:36:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9059854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moriel/pseuds/Moriel
Summary: RvB Secret Santa Gift for @hammeredpaint on Tumblr 
Takes place after the crash on Chorus, Washington and Tucker are starting to understand each other, and how to help one another deal with stress.





	

“Mayday mayday, this is Agent Washington and the Red and Blue troopers of Project Freelancer.”

“We are stranded, does anyone copy?”

“Mayday this is Agent Washington, I am a soldier.”

“Is anybody out there?”

“Can anybody hear me?”

The sound of static fizzles out as the radio loses power once again, “Damn It” Wash vehemently spits out in sync with slamming his helmet again into the offending machinery. This was the fifth time since the crash that he had gotten the radio to broadcast, but each time it barely powered on long enough to send out his S.O.S. and there certainly had not been a response, or even anyone who had heard his plea for help because they were most certainly still stuck on this hellish planet in who knows what backwards corner of the universe. Jaw clenched, hands rising automatically to his temples, a long low incomprehensible sort of growl escaped his mouth as he could feel the tension headache forming along his spine and working its way through his brain to settle at his temples in a dull throb. He knew it wasn’t healthy, but turning his anger inwards meant he was much less likely to snap at the Reds or Blues, and that’s what mattered right now. It was his need to protect these simulation troopers, no, his friends, that inevitably got Wash thinking about the other friends he had tried to protect over the years. Against his wishes, he was thinking about things he didn’t want to, and was he crying?

The gasping sound of a sob is what drove Private Tucker from his thoughts as he approached the radio and into action before he knew what he was doing, his feet carrying him several yards towards the source of the noise before his senses caught up with him. Wash would totally kill him if he interrupted him during one of his episodes, or it would kill Wash to know that someone had seen him actually be vulnerable for once in his fucking life. It was easier to brush aside the heavy stuff, and instead curse his finely tuned paternal instincts for almost creating a very awkward situation. Ever since having Junior, Tucker literally could not stand to hear crying; he thought with how many damn times Caboose stubbed his toe while trying to use the bathroom in the middle of the night he would have broken this habit, but nope can’t fight instincts baby. Tucker decided that right now wasn’t the best time to surprise Wash with snacks and so he snuck back away from the radio and instead surprised Caboose with the snacks.

Dinner that night was an awkward affair in Blue team’s makeshift base, although Caboose didn’t notice as he shoveled rehydrated mashed potatoes into his mouth while humming a tune known only to the recesses of his mind. Washington ate with the robotic precision of a man who had long forgot the pleasures of food, and if it was physically possible his undereye bags were looking worse in the evening light. Tucker uncharacteristically was just pushing his food around his plate, he continued to do this long after Caboose had wandered off, and even Wash was almost done cleaning the dishes. “What’s wrong?” Wash sighed, trying to force some emotion into his voice, he genuinely cared about what was bothering Tucker, but he was just so tired, so emotionally drained for the day. “Uh, nothing dude, you’ve had a rough day, I don’t want to add to it”. “What is that supposed to mean Private Tucker?” Oh shit I’ve fucked up, I’ve fucked up; “Uh well I haven’t seen you all day so that means you’ve been trying to fix the radio?” Tucker said trying to smooth over his flub, voice rising towards the end of his question. “Riiight” Wash responds, drawing out the word in a way he must have learned from Carolina; body language shifting oh so unsubtly back into the back straight, eyes attempting to be alert, overall mild paranoia of his freelancer training.

An awkward tension hung between them, Wash turning back to the sink to re-scrub the plate he had just finished drying, Tucker just staring at his back from across their makeshift kitchen where he sat at the table still pushing around his potatoes. “Tucker, I’m fine, really.” “I know that dude, it’s just you don’t have to pretend to be fine all the time, and you can be just fine while, I don’t know maybe talking to me about stuff every once in a while.” “Says the man who’s been shoving potatoes around his plate for over an hour.” “You know what, you’re right, fuck this man ok, I’m not having a great day today too.” The blatant honesty shocked Wash, he put down the same plate he was still washing, turned around and asked Tucker “Do you want to talk about it?” “Yeah I guess I do.” Wash was starting to relax just a little bit as he not quite marched over to the table, pulled out a chair and sat down, dropping the dish rag onto the table so he could prop up his head with his hands.

 “Ok so yes I, I overheard you earlier today, I got snacks and I was bringing them to you, and I thought it was best if I didn’t, I figured you probably wanted some alone time.” “Was this before or after I finished swearing at the radio?’ “Uh after, I guess?” “Thank you for your honesty Private Tucker.” The sudden formality was not lost on Tucker as Wash sat up straight backed in his chair. “That’s not what’s really bothering me though” Tucker added quickly, fearing Wash was about to go resume scrubbing that plate to death. Wash responded by crossing his arms and cocking an eyebrow at Tucker. “I was thinking about some stuff and that that led to some other thoughts and then I was thinking about Junior, and I guess it’s been so crazy with the crash and everything that I really haven’t thought about him for a bit.” “Tucker, you and I both know that Junior is just fine, and despite being so young he can take care of himself.” “I know that, I’m not worried about that man, I mean he is my kid!” A small chuckle accompanied Wash unfolding his arms to prop up his head again, “then just what is bothering you?” “Well while we were on the ship I was able to chat with Junior and I told him that I was coming home… and the date to expect me to be home by.” “Oh.” “Yeah, I don’t have a fucking clue what day it is now, but it sure as fuck is after the date I told him.” “Well Junior is smart, I’m sure he’s reasoned out that something has delayed you getting back, and that you’re just fine.” “That’s bullshit and you know it Wash, you even said it in that tone you use when you think we are actually gonna die” Tucker threw back at him while gesturing his arms outwardly, only to draw them to the top of his head where he interlocked his fingers and let them rest there, elbows dangling off to either side of his head. “Fine, let me rephrase that then” Wash responded in a sardonic tone, only the next sentence he spoke was filled with genuine honesty. “Well Junior is smart, I’m sure he has noticed how late the ship is in arriving, and how obviously search and rescue has turned up nothing, if they sent search and rescue out in the first place, and so obviously with each passing day the odds are that we are still alive are dwindling, which is actually what is happening here in reality.” “Wow dude that sounds way worse when its out in the open” “Now you know why I don’t like to talk about... stuff.” “Yeah I can see that now” Tucker sounded dejected as he admitted that.

“Is that all you wanted to talk about?” Wash asked, now even more exhausted that he had helped to put Tucker into a worse mood.  “No, its not” but the words came out firm and strong, nowhere near the depressed tone Wash was expecting. “You know Wash, I think I understand things better now, and yeah it sucks, but I think I realize what you’ve been trying to get us to do. We aren’t getting out of here unless we do something about it, and there is no way in hell I’m going to wait around until we have to enact Sarge’s “operation eat Griff because we are now out of food” plan. Besides, I can’t have Junior mourning me and shit.” Wash knew getting Tucker to act on his words would be an uphill battle, but this was a start, and so he smiled, something Tucker hadn’t seen Wash do since before the crash. “You know I’m not going to let you forget saying that, if you want to get out of here you are going to not only listen to me, but do everything I say you should do.” “Everything you say huh? Bow-chicka-bow-wow if you know what I mean.” “Yes Tucker, everything, and that eyebrow wiggle was completely unnecessary” Wash said keeping a straight face. “Ah man, fine I’ll be serious, yes I will do what I can to actually help get us off of this shit planet.” “Thank you Tucker, hearing that actually makes me feel a bit better” and with that Wash offered another small smile, he hoped it conveyed the weight that Tucker had just helped to lift off of his shoulders.

Tucker did notice that, especially in how Wash had exhaled after flashing him that smile, the way he tried to drop his shoulders but the lingering tension just wouldn’t let him physically relax. “Come on, let’s forget about the dishes for now, you need a shoulder massage, and I’m feeling a lot better now.” “You’re just looking for an excuse to get me to take my shirt off again” “Yeah so, but with the way you’re holding yourself right now I doubt you can even get your shirt off without pulling a muscle dude.” Wash knew Tucker had a point, his shoulders were so tense that his neck was stiffening up and he still hadn’t managed to get rid of that headache from earlier; and so it was with less hesitation than normal he gave in, and followed Tucker down the hall to his cot that he gratefully flopped onto. Tucker didn’t care that Wash was practically snoring less than half an hour later, the fact that Wash had fallen asleep was practically a miracle, but that he trusted Tucker enough to fall asleep around him after he had had such a rough day was amazing. They might not fully understand each other, but that was ok, this was a big step for both of them, and besides Wash stayed asleep when Tucker snuggled up next to him and threw the blanket over both of them. Though the best realization came the in the morning when Caboose woke them both up demanding pancakes; they both had slept through the night, something neither of them had done in years.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this, and Happy Holidays! 
> 
> Feel free to comment!


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